Cody Expected To Play Against LSU

Kirk McNair

11/05/2008

Alabama Coach Nick Saban said following Wednesday Crimson Tide football practice that he believes that junior nose tackle Terrence Cody "will be able to play to some degree" when Bama goes to Baton Rouge to play LSU Saturday. Cody has been out since he suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee against Ole Miss three weeks ago.

Alabama, 9-0 and ranked first in the nation, plays at LSU at 2:30 p.m. CST Saturday. The game will be nationally televised by CBS. Bama is 5-0 in Southeastern Conference play and can win the Western Division title with a win over the Tigers. LSU, the defending national champion, is 6-2 overall and 5-2 in SEC games.

Terrence Cody had been a mainstay on the Alabama defensive line before going out with his knee injury against Ole Miss. He missed Bama's wins over Tennessee and Arkansas State, and his workouts until this week were primarily for rehabilitation and conditioning. He has been doing football work in practice this week.

Nick Saban said, "He has worked in practice and he has done a good job. He does not seem to have any increased soreness from the work he has done. We are working on his conditioning, trying to get him back in the swing of things, get him in shape and get his confidence back. He has done everything we have asked him to do in practice and has not had an issue."

The coach added that questions regarding Cody included how much he would be able to play and in what situations. He said Cody would be monitored for conditioning and his "ability to sustain." Saban concluded, "I think he'll be okay."

Prior to his injury, Cody had been playing in run situations and sharing time in those situations with Josh Chapman. Chapman replaced Cody as the starter the past two weeks with Lorenzo Washington, last year's starting nose tackle and a defensive end this year, alternating with Chapman.

Cody was named a semifinalist for the 14th Chuck Bednarik Award on Wednesday. The award is given to the national defensive player of the year. The list of candidates was selected by the Maxwell Football Club Advisory Committee. Cody has 15 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss to anchor the middle of the Tide's defensive line that has allowed just 65.6 rushing yards per game.